North West Leicestershire

North West Leicestershire's population expanded in the 10 years leading up to the latest census. At the same time there were changes in housing tenure, marriage and health.

The population passed 93,000

Between the last two censuses, the population of North West Leicestershire increased by 9.3%, from just over 85,500 to 93,500.

The addition of almost 8,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, North West Leicestershire was home to, on average, 2.4 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was similar to the average across the East Midlands

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the East Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older North West Leicestershire

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of North West Leicestershire increased by three years, from 39 to 42 years.

This rural area had a higher average age than the East Midlands and remained somewhat older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of about 3,700 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 2,000.

About 13% of people in North West Leicestershire are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East Midlands and North West Leicestershire by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

North West Leicestershire saw the East Midlands' third-largest fall in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

In 2011, just over 1 in 10 (10%) households in North West Leicestershire had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 11% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child decreased from 30% to 29%.

Across the region, only Hinckley and Bosworth (from 11% to 9.7%) and Melton (from 10.0% to 9.1%) saw a greater decrease in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

During this period, North West Leicestershire went from having the fourth-highest to the 13th-highest percentage of households with only adult children living with their parents out of 309 English local authority areas.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across the East Midlands

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the East Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Disability in North West Leicestershire

The percentage of North West Leicestershire residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 3.4% to 4.0% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 13 (7.5%) reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 7.6% in 2001. The percentage of North West Leicestershire residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 89%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 3.4% in 2001 to 4.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the East Midlands

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the East Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in North West Leicestershire that rented privately increased from 5.4% to 11% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over one in seven (14%) households lived in social housing, compared with 16% in 2001. The percentage of North West Leicestershire households that owned their home decreased from 76% to 72%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 8.5% in 2001 to 15% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in North West Leicestershire increased by 5.8 percentage points

Percentage of households in North West Leicestershire, the East Midlands and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing relationships in North West Leicestershire

The percentage of adults in North West Leicestershire that were married decreased from 57% to 53% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (28%) people aged 16 and over said they were single, compared with 25% in 2001. The percentage of adults in North West Leicestershire that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 9.9% to 12%.

The proportion of married people fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 53% in 2001 to 49% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 51% to 47%.

The proportion of married people was higher than across the East Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in the East Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of North West Leicestershire residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 8.8% to 5.2% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (81%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 67% in 2001. The percentage of North West Leicestershire residents that described their health as fair decreased from 24% to 14%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 9.4% in 2001 to 5.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in North West Leicestershire decreased by 3.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in North West Leicestershire, the East Midlands and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in North West Leicestershire working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 15% to 12% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 40 (2.5%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.5% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 14% in 2001 to 10% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in North West Leicestershire decreased by 3.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in North West Leicestershire, the East Midlands and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in North West Leicestershire, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 9.4% to 11% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in four (27%) households had only one person, compared with 26% in 2001. The percentage of households in North West Leicestershire which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 44% to 39%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 8.7% in 2001 to 10% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.3% to 9.9%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was higher than across the East Midlands

Percentage of households that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in the East Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in North West Leicestershire

The number of people in North West Leicestershire from the White ethnic groups increased from about 84,000 in 2001 to about 91,000 in 2011. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 99% to 98%.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across the East Midlands (from 93% to 89%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in North West Leicestershire from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from about 460 in 2001 to just under 1,100 in 2011 (from 0.5% to 1.2%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from about 420 to just over 880 (from 0.5% to 0.9%).

Just under 210 people (0.1%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from about 79 in 2001 (0.2%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in North West Leicestershire decreased by 1.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East Midlands and North West Leicestershire by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing work life

The percentage of North West Leicestershire residents that were unemployed increased from 2.4% to 3.4% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (56%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 57% in 2001. The percentage of North West Leicestershire residents that were self-employed increased from 8.3% to 9.3%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 3.4% in 2001 to 4.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in North West Leicestershire increased by 1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in North West Leicestershire, the East Midlands and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of North West Leicestershire residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.2% to 1.4% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.5%) reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 2.2% in 2001.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 1.2% in 2001 to 1.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in North West Leicestershire remained close to 1.4%

Percentage of usual residents in England, East Midlands and North West Leicestershire by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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